


Us and the Sea

by Angryangryowl



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Homophobia, Hux is British, Kylo is American, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Rain, Seaside towns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 18:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7066195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angryangryowl/pseuds/Angryangryowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo agrees to meet Hux's parents in a UK seaside town. His intentions to marry their son don't go down well. Kisses in the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Us and the Sea

‘This is what you people do for fun?’

‘It’s traditional. Like Fourth of July fireworks, state fairs and heart disease on your side, I expect.’ Hux says icily, trying to make out that his teeth aren't chattering and digging his hands further into the pockets of his heavy woolen coat. A navy duffle that he hasn't worn since he was 16, and the first thing his hands found when Kylo stormed out, slamming the front door so hard the sound echoes through the whole house.

Agreeing to meet Hux’s family was one thing. Flying, and then driving to a windswept seaside town out of season to do so was another. Kylo has already knocked the volume knob off of the radio in their hire car in a fit of temper. Polite and painfully stilted introductions lead to wine over dinner. Hux’s father was known only as ‘father’ to Hux, ‘darling’ to Hux’s briskly efficient mother and ‘Sir’ to everyone else. His mother had introduced herself as ‘Patience, but Patty, please, dear’ to Kylo. His father had visibly tensed when she brooched the subject of how they met.

That they had met playing rugby was more or less true. It was expected of Hux as part of his regimental duties, and maybe he wasn't particularly muscular, but he could stare down the devil himself and was slim and agile enough to slip through unnoticed. One of his teammates had said something, another one of those weird phrases, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's size of the fight in the dog. On the pitch, Hux had enough fight, enough aggression tempered with cold guile, for an entire pack.

Kylo, too massive to avoid detection, had been signed up for his university team in his first week in the country. The raw, simmering fury that blistered just below the surface at all times erupted on the pitch. It may not always be strictly within the rules, but he got results. On his first friendly (sort of) game of the season had not seen the skinny orange cannonball leaping for his ankles until they both slammed into the ground. That he had kicked Hux in the face as a form of greeting had not been entirely accidental. Feeling some sort of debt, or at least determined to look honourable, Hux had bought him an apologetic pint afterwards. Kylo appologised by taking a slightly drunk and, at his own admission, slightly repressed a back to his room and kissing every bruised inch of him better.

Kylo’s entirely tactless admission to Hux’s parents that yes, he planned to marry their son as soon as his officer training was over had not gone down well. Hux almost choked on a piece of broccoli whilst trying to kick him in the ankle, his father glared at Hux as though plotting his imminent execution and his mother suppressed a whimper of panic. Kylo only stormed out when his father asked him coldly if they was expecting his blessing for something that would surely ruin Hux’s career, everything that he, no, they had worked for. If this was just some experiment, working out a few of Hux’s many issues, at least keep it discreet.

‘And yes, this is what he do for fun.’ Hux dragged him back into the sodden and cold present with his words. He continued bitterly, turning his back on the wind. ‘We leave perfectly good houses and heated cars, to go somewhere wet and windy, covered in seagull excrement and chip wrappers, and attempt to warm ourselves whilst telling everyone what a wonderful time we are having.’

Kylo's hands clasp into fists in the pockets of his hoodie, pulling his scarf over his nose and mouth against the knifing North Sea wind.

Staring out ‘How do they do that?’  
‘Do what?’

‘Warm up’

A sly grin flickers across Hux’s face ‘Tea mostly, and chips.’

The brightly lit stand hunched on the sea front sells them tea, hot chocolate for Kylo, and a portion of greasy French fries from over an assortment of lurid coloured sweets and clouds of candyfloss in inflated plastic bags. Hux grumbles out of earshot that they are not proper chips, but burns his tongue on them anyway. 

They walk the first few meters of the pier, the ancient iron frame moaning ominously under their feet. The waves slop, sounding hollow under the shimmering planks, and Kylo’s hand finds Hux’s once they are about halfway to the end of the pier. Their long fingers threading together, Hux allowing a reassuring squeeze from Kylo. 

They reach the end, the weathered railings the only thing between them and miles of angry grey sea.  
Hux stares out, the sheeting rain plastering amber strands to his forehead. 

Kylo glances over at him, his hands curling around the rail.

‘Do you want to go back?’

‘To my parents?’

‘Back home. You could get a room on base. It’d be a whole lot simpler. I can go back to Indiana and maybe..’

Hux’s jaw tenses. ‘It's strange how everyone knows what I want before I tell them. My parents. And now you.’

Ren shrugs ‘I know what your dad-’

‘He's not you. I'm not-’ he huffs in annoyance, his hands balling into fists at his sides. He hurls the polystyrene cup into the waves.

‘Were you serious? Because that isn’t how I'd imagined a proposal.’ He rounds on Kylo. ‘And I'm too busy to wait around while you ask for my hand one minute and say you’re breaking up with me the next, so make your fucking mind up.’ He yells the last few words over a howl of wind.

‘You. I want you. Married or not, wherever we are. So...that's it. I didn't think you'd want me holding you back.You're too important for that.’ He yells back, the wind tugging at his already-wild black hair. He's so furiously, laughably sincere, his eyes squeezed half shit against the wind, his eyebrows knitting together.

Hux combs the tangled mane away from his face, holding it back in a loose fist while he kisses his answer onto Kylo’s lips. Warm mouths on damp skin banishing the wind and spray for a minute, kissing rivulets from cheeks, noses, eyebrows.

His stomach clenches deliciously at the fierce grip around his waist, almost lifting him off the ground. How definite and solid those arms are still, and how sure the intentions behind them.

‘Let’s go home.’


End file.
